Lake Forest Police Unveil New Portal Showing Reported Incidents Across City

LAKE FOREST, IL — Lake Forest residents can now get a broader view of police activity through a new online Crime Transparency Portal launched by the Lake Forest Police Department.

The portal provides an interactive map showing selected reported incidents across the city, including theft, burglary, traffic-related incidents and other crimes against persons. Each listing includes the date and time the incident was reported, a case number and an approximate block-level location.

The department said the portal was created after residents asked for more insight into police activity beyond what has traditionally appeared in the department's online arrest blotter. Previously, the blotter focused primarily on arrests and did not show the full range of incidents reported to police. The new portal is intended to address that gap while limiting the release of sensitive details.

“Residents have told us they want to better understand what’s happening in their neighborhoods,” said Chief of Police John Burke. “This new transparency portal helps us share more information about reported incidents in a way that is responsible, accurate, and respectful of privacy. It’s another step in our ongoing commitment to transparency and community trust.”

According to the department, the portal excludes victim-sensitive crimes, incidents involving juveniles and cases that cannot reasonably be tied to a geographic location. Personal identifying information is also not included. Incident locations are shown only at the block level to protect privacy and the integrity of investigations.

The portal is updated monthly and displays incidents from the most recent 12-month period. That allows residents to review general patterns over time rather than a single snapshot of activity. The department described the effort as part of the city's broader push to improve communication with the community and provide residents with meaningful public safety information.

The new tool also aligns with the Public Safety priority in Lake Forest's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, according to the city. That plan calls for increasing police department transparency through new tools and expanded practices. The city said the Crime Transparency Portal is part of its ongoing effort to enhance access to information about public safety in the community.